


Hope For Us Yet

by Melospiza_melodia



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, I swear the space-economics are barely there, Kid Fic, M/M, Post-Canon Cardassia, Post-canon Bajor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-30 16:58:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20100562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melospiza_melodia/pseuds/Melospiza_melodia
Summary: Kira visits Cardassia on a diplomatic mission. First and foremost on her agenda: reconnecting with old friends in high places.





	Hope For Us Yet

Kira almost didn’t recognize Garak’s house when she arrived, five years after she had last seen it. Even in Cardassia’s rusting dusk, the damage was evident. The proud, tall mansion of Tain’s was nearly gone on the right side, and the yard, formerly bedecked with rock sculptures, now held spires of rubble and sprigs of native plant-life. To reach the front door, she had to duck through several stone arches and rubble piles that left any way-fairer blind to the door and to their surroundings—a perfect set-up for defense. It was this last detail that assured her: she had found the right building.

This instinct was confirmed when she spotted a Terran blue rose bush growing by the front door. They were a specialty of Keiko’s, and it seemed Garak had picked up a few tricks from the botanist. Kira bit back a smile and stood on the doorstep, knowing there was no need to knock.

A second later, the door opened soundlessly, revealing the bearded face of Julian Bashir. Instantly, his eyes lit up. “Nerys!”

“Julian,” she returned, and he pulled her into a hug. They broke apart to find Garak watching them from the hallway, smiling. “Colonel,” he greeted. “I’m glad to see the Bajoran militia has finally updated their uniforms.”

“It’s good to see you too, Garak.”

They both grinned, then Julian beckoned her further inside. “Come, come, please sit down! You must be exhausted from the flight here.”

“Actually, it was rather nice—complimentary drinks, music, even massages! If I had known diplomats were treated so well, I might have become one earlier.” She took off her shoes and followed him through the hall, Garak walking behind her.

“You were never the diplomatic type,” Julian quipped. “Remember the meetings with the Romulans?”

She laughed. “Yes, but times change. I didn’t volunteer, but they needed someone with experience dealing with Cardassians and Starfleet. Someone all sides could trust. Despite the Kai's better judgement, I was the one the Prophets recommended.” 

Julian froze and turned towards her, eyes gleaming. "Sisko?"

Kira nodded. "The only contact with anyone outside his family since the war." _ The only time They’ve interfered with Bajoran politics since before I was born. _

That earned a small, pinched smile, and Julian led her into a sparse dining area. Abruptly, Kira bit back the memory of Mila bustling about the stove. Julian stepped smoothly over the phaser burns on the floor, never looking down. She followed suit and accepted a chair at the round table. Julian and Garak joined her.

“It’s good to see you both again,” Kira said. “I almost thought—-”

Garak held a finger up to his lips. He called out, “Zathara, either go back to bed or introduce yourself properly.”

A groan came from a shadow by the far door. Still complaining, out emerged a small figure. She stood about 4 feet high, with a slouch, downcast gaze, and wild black hair obscuring her eyes. Through the strands, she cast furtive glances at Kira, as if the Bajoran was a rare animal she didn't want to spook. “How'd you know it was me?” she asked Garak.

Garak cast her a look. “What did I tell you about the environment?’

“Never change it when you can change yourself,” she said. Straightening herself up, she declared,“I won’t move the door next time.” 

“Good girl.”

Julian laughed and ruffled the child’s already nebulous hair. “Well, you still fooled me.”

The girl raised her head, tossing her hair so Julian could see her roll her eyes. “Ashal can fool you, and she’s 4.”

“And devious!” Julian protested. “Now, listen to your _ yadik _ and go to bed.”

An eye roll, and the girl let Julian escort her out, but not without casting Kira a backward glance that bordered on… was that awe? Longing?

She stared at the door after it closed. She’d only caught a glimpse of the girl’s face, yet she could have sworn...

“_ Yadik _?” she said aloud.

Garak poured himself a cup of tea from a pot. “Surprised, Colonel?”

“Yes, Garak. How did you find a half-Bajoran child on Cardassia?”

“Oh, we didn’t have to. She found us.” Garak couldn’t hide the pride in his voice.

Julian smiled when he returned. “Well, the first time, anyway. The second time we found her, and it’s a good thing both of us have training as spies, or it never would’ve happened. The orphans in Cardassia learn to be cunning.”

“You know she is already listening at the door,” Garak said.

“Let her.” Julian shrugged, then dropped his voice. “I can’t say I blame her. Nerys, you must be the first Bajoran she’s seen since her father died.”

Kira cast another glance at the door. _ She looks so much like Ziyal. _

Julian saw her face and stood up again. “Tea?”

She accepted it gratefully. 

“As enjoyable as this is, enough small talk.” Garak clapped his hands. “What prompted this diplomatic mission? I imagine it cannot be an outpouring of good will for your former occupiers.”

Kira sighed. “I’m afraid not. The issue has gotten rather complicated on Bajor. Many wish to leave Cardassia alone at her end of the quadrant. However, a political minority is calling for us to eradicate the Cardassians while they are still weak.”

“I can’t say I blame them,” Garak said.

“Maybe, but the Bajoran government doesn’t wish for another war, not so soon after the last. We weren’t on the front line, but we still lost too much to the Dominion. The Prophets encourage diplomacy--it's their first new prophecy in years. They say that we will end up as bad as the Founders if we let our hate define us.”

Julian and Garak looked at her, and somehow she knew they could hear the voice in her head that whispered, _ Odo gave himself up to ensure peace. How can I look myself in the eye if I am not willing to do the same? _

She shook off the sensation by sipping her tea. Garak had always been a quick study, though he was being more obvious than normal. _ So this is what it’s like to see Garak’s guard down. _ Julian’s reading though—-that was new. _ I wonder if he had hidden this ability too, or if it’s something Garak taught him. _

Looking at the couple, she had a feeling the answer was both. 

“Historically-speaking,” Julian said, “ ‘all ends ill for those who live on malice.’”

“Lily Sloane. Sisko told me the same once.”

Garak rolled his eyes at both of them. “The naive!” he said. “it’s a miracle your species survived this long with that mindset.”

“Oh? Do you have a counterexample?” Julian huffed.

“No, because it simply ends ill for all people.” Garak said.

Kira frowned. Aware that Zathara was listening, she lowered her voice. “You seriously can’t believe this is the end for Cardassia?”

“Colonel…” Garak sighed. “If it is, we have earned it. I would be foolish to expect anything else. Our only hope now is to take Cardassia and restore something from her ashes that is in her image, one that is worthy of her remaining children.” His gaze returned to the door.

For the first time, Kira saw the changes in Garak. _ Or perhaps he’s only now letting me see them. _ He had developed a slight slouch, wrinkles had appeared under his eyes, and his hands were roughened by the initial months of physical labor. Something had hardened in him as well—-there was an air of resignation about him, one that dissipated only when he met eyes with Julian. _ Or when he looks at Zathara. _When his eyes met hers, she no longer felt the clang of a shield. The blue gaze was raw as firmament. 

“Don’t get me wrong,” she said. “My people won’t be in the front lines with the medical teams out there. We won’t be offering your people direct manual labor, nor any other service we provided during the Occupation. I come here as part of a delegation to offer trade: food, water, textiles, and raw minerals.” 

“A generous offer,” Garak said. Neither of them added, _ One that was formerly stolen rather than paid for. _“However, Cardassia has little she can trade in return.”

“Yet,” Kira corrected. “Right now, all we ask for is latinum, and a market we can use to expand our agriculture.”

“And later?”

“Technology, mainly. There are many computer systems left on Bajor that are still encrypted with Cardassian codes. Some have been used for parts—”

Garak winced.

“—but others are still operational, and it would be more efficient if we could use or repurpose the old systems.”

“I see. And you are certain that this agreement will appease your people?”

“The main advocates for war are from agricultural and mining districts, districts that had seen the full force of the Occupation.”

“So you’re bribing them with money,” Julian said.

“With a livelihood,” Kira corrected. “It will work. They seek war in part because it would increase their wealth—we just need a way for peace to do that instead.”

“Increasing the literal cost of a fight,” Julian said, nodding.

“It will work,” Garak echoed. “As Ferengi as it sounds, profit is still important to Bajorans, particularly the laboring class. They still won’t like the Cardassians, but they will be content to leave us be.”

“Neo-colonialism as a peace treaty,” Julian said. “I can’t say it's ideal.”

“It’s not. Which is why it's temporary. Am I right that you’re heading the team researching Ketracel White?”

“Classified, Nerys,” he smiled.

“I come here as a Commander in Starfleet as well as a Bajoran Colonel.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “In that case—yes. We’re concluding trials as we speak. The Jem’Hadar should be off the white in four years—”

Abruptly he stopped talking and his eyes widened. Then he began to talk very quickly, his words almost overlapping. “At which point the Jem’Hadar will need food and water again, opening a new market!”

“One Federation replicators couldn’t possibly cover on their own,” Garak said. “So the Bajorans have an escape route from the agreement. We negotiate a four-year trade alliance, and when Cardassia is strong again, the Bajorans will siphon the food to the Jem’Hadar.”

Kira nodded. “All we need is the reassurance that the trade rules will be accepted by Cardassia.”

Garak sighed. “If you had offered this even 2 years ago, the answer would have been a definite yes—we had no power to refuse then.” 

“And Bajor had no power to offer yet, not with the loss of the Emissary and the cost of the war,” Julian said.

“It came too soon after the Occupation,” Kira added. “Public opinion towards Cardassia never would’ve allowed it.”

“And yet again Cardassia is the mother of her own undoing,” Garak muttered. “You see, now that starvation has declined, many will let their pride get in the way of practicality. They will consider it beneath us to accept help from the Bajorans. They remember the Occupation too well.”

Kira leaned forward. “Most who enforced the Occupation were Dominion cannon fodder and are now dead.”

“And yet here you sit, talking to one of them.” Garak tapped his own hand, eyes now sharp and quiet as needles.

Julian held his breath.

In the silence, all three could hear the sounds of a small child sleeping in the next room—_ must be Ashal— _and Kira heard another breath catch outside the door. Kira remembered the nose ridges on Zathara’s face and knew that if she could not convince Garak, she may as well board her returning shuttlecraft tonight.

Kira met Garak’s gaze. “I’ve known your role since the moment I met you, yet for Ziyal’s sake, I trusted you. And I trusted that people can change.”

She took a deep breath. “I’m not naive enough to believe the Cardassian High Council will be unanimously in favor of this. Yet minds can be changed.” _ For Tekheni Ghemor_, _ I have to believe that. _“And those that can’t can be swayed in...other ways.”

Julian raised his eyebrows and busied himself with preparing another cup of tea.

Garak leaned forward, eyes bright. “Colonel, there may be hope for you yet.”

_ For all of us. _

Neither said, _ I know there are at least 3 common species of plant in the garden that form toxins when combined with certain chemicals. None are lethal, but my, my, wouldn’t it be easy to catch a stomach bug and miss a minor vote on imports? _

Garak grasped her hand gently. “I’ll see what I can do.”


End file.
